Opening Sequence Treatment

Opening Sequence Treatment:

A cliché horror movie consists of a haunting, ghosts or demons, ready to thrill the audience. Some films have a unique selling point, but others are put into this category where you find out that they are all relatively the same, for example Paranormal activity and The Woman in Black. With my opening sequence, I have added a twist to the horror element; no ghosts scaring a family to death, but some supernatural features such as witchcraft to engage and have the audience on the edge of their seats waiting to see what happens next.

The story that I have created is called The Child Keeper and is set in present day, as I feel that it is most appropriate because the characters will be using modern technology in order to reach their goal within the story. According to Todorov’s narrative theory, the story starts with the equilibrium in which two media students who need to film for an opening sequence for their media coursework. They have chosen the genre of crime/thriller to engage the audience and their fellow classmates and find the perfect location; and despite warnings from family members and friends, they start filming there. However, the more time they spend there, more of the past is revealed to them and strange happenings occur and frighten the characters. This is the disruption, as the characters realise that something is wrong and that it is stopping them from being able to film. Because there are elements of the past, my story non-linear as there will be flashbacks to explain the backstory to the audience as they relive the past. The backstory is that in the 19th century there was a man, known as the ‘Child’s Keeper’ who was involved in witchcraft and would use to his advantage. He would cure a child of an illness or just pure bad luck and sadness, and in exchange he would require one of their most favourite toys, in which he would curse, placing the bad luck and disease inside it and hanging it up in a tree near his house. However, what he wouldn’t include in the deal was that once the child had turned 18 he would steal their soul as his own, which would also be placed within the toy, as it was the only thing that could keep him alive and give him eternal life and immortality. With the two main characters, the toys that are possessed begin to show signs that the forest it not a safe place, as the Child Keeper lures them closer to where he is waiting for them. This is where the recognition takes place as the protagonist has gained an understanding on the villain and knows how to stop them. In order to weaken the antagonist, the two students must get rid of the dolls one by one, either by burning them or cutting them apart. Once that is done, the characters enter the house again, even though it is not completely safe yet, and try to communicate and trick the demon. The repair is when the protagonist defeats the villain by sending him through to a different dimension where he belongs. The two students can then return to their new equilibrium, where they are able to finish their footage for their media but decide to change the genre to horror. Typical themes that outline this story include good vs evil and life vs death, as the protagonist wishes to get rid of the antagonist so that they can return to a new equilibrium.

Because of its genre of horror, in this narrative I feel that close ups of characters is good for showing emotions such as fear and distress, as well as wide shots of landscapes and significant locations. I also think that panning and zooming is useful, especially in fast-paced scenes where tension can be created as the villain and hero encounter each other and conflict. This would enhance the narrative and hold emphasis on particular aspects such as generating fear or introducing a certain character or place.

In terms of characters in this story the protagonist within this story is called Alice and using Propp’s narrative theory is the hero who defeats the villain so that she can return to the equilibrium and carry on filming for their project and also so that no more children will be manipulated by the Child Keeper. The friend of Alice is Jamie and is the helper to the hero, as she works with Alice and sticks by her even when the danger is life-threatening. Together, they are always part of the story and are the focus for the audience. Another character within this narrative is the antagonist, also known as the Child Keeper and villain. He tries to stop the hero on reaching their goal, which causes the disruption within the narrative, as well as using them to become more powerful. This character can also be considered the false hero as in the past people believed he was doing good be removing illness from children, when in fact he just wanted to use them for his own good. Furthermore, Propp’s theory includes a dispatcher, who in my story is the teacher, who sets the task for the students, resulting in the protagonist being in the location where the villain is. For the donor I have included the protagonist’s uncle, who lends equipment to the two students and warns them about filming in that particular area. For the princess, the video could be considered to have this role, as it is what the characters want to complete however, it is not too dramatic or the main focus, as the horror element and scaring the audience is the purpose of this narrative.

The music that I will be using for my opening sequence will be Seven Devils by Florence and the Machine, which I feel is appropriate for the mood I want to create, which is eerie and dark. I would gain copyright in advance to use this music so that if I cannot, I am able to find another track that fits my sequence. I will also be using an instrumental that I feel would also portray this dark and mysterious mood, which the audience will be able to recognise do not want to have any non-diegetic sounds so that the focus is put on diegetic sounds within the scene such as footsteps and speech between characters; which can create suspense and tension throughout the audience.

Furthermore, the location that I will be using is a forest in which there are toys and dolls strapped to the trees, and next to it is an abandoned house with a bunker underneath it. In order to be allowed to film here I am gaining permission from the owner of the area, as I will be able to film in the forest, but I have to ask about filming outside the house. I feel that this location is perfect for my narrative and is appropriate for the chosen genre of horror, as the audience will recognise be able to recognise this when they watch it.

After researching, I have decided that my primary audience are teenagers and young adults whom are part of generation Z and aged 15-25, as I am giving the narrative a certificate of 15. The characters are teenagers so it will appeal to them and relate to them more than people aged 50+. The audience will also be in-group E in terms of classes as it includes students, who are typically part of this age group. My secondary audience are people who are 30+ and in-group B, as they could be the parents of the teenagers and may watch it with them, as a horror is too inappropriate for young children.

For both audiences there is a mixed genre, as the protagonist is strong female character that will attract girls and may become a role model to them as they can associate themselves with her. The genre of horror can also generally attract men, as they like to watch something that can thrill them instead of something like a chick-flick.

In terms of visual style, when in the forest the lighting is going to be high key during the equilibrium, but when it gets later on in the day the lighting becomes darker as the mood changes and the disruption occurs. The main colours will be greys for the sky and by the house to give it a dull effect, as well as autumnal colours such as oranges and reds to show that this is set in autumn as the movie will be released around Halloween. This will appeal to the audience as Halloween is the perfect time to watch a horror, and darker colours connote fear and death, as well as being associated with mystery, as they will not know what dangers could occur at a particular moment. For costumes, the characters will be wearing jumpers and jackets as the weather will be cold, particularly in darker colours to match the mood throughout the story. As well as this, important props include filming equipment to show that the characters are filming for their project, as well as phones to show modern technology, so that the audience know that period of time this is set in. The use of modern technology will relate to audiences and can support the character created as they are seen to be realistic, using their phone when needed.

In order to film my opening sequence, I will need to use a variety of equipment. Firstly, a camcorder and tripod will be needed to film and get a clear shot. I will need two of each of these, as one set will act as a prop in which the characters will be using to film. I could also use a phone to act as a microphone in areas where surrounding noises could potentially block out the voice of a character, as well as to record certain sound effects like leaves crunching or footsteps. I will also try to use a Steadicam so that my shots look more professional, especially when panning or tracking. When editing I will be using Premiere Pro, however I may also want to use After Effects to enhance  my work, which I will have to learn about and get used to using.

However, when filming or editing for my opening sequence there are some problems that could occur which could disrupt the chosen narrative. These include not gaining copyright for particular songs or permission to film by the house, poor weather e.g. rain that could damage some equipment, dropping equipment or losing it and even getting lost in a location such as the forest. In order to avoid this from happening, I would gain permission from record companies and owners of the house, and would check the weather in advances so I can create a filming schedule. Furthermore, I would check and make sure that I have all equipment and before leaving any location and to stick together with someone as well as planning the route beforehand.

To summarise, my opening sequence is a horror with a supernatural element aimed at teenagers and young adults of both genders, and is set in a location ready to generate the audience and thrill them, with the support of dark lighting and music.